Bullying in the workplace

While modern restorative justice theory and practice originated in a criminal justice context, some proponents seek to extend restorative justice principles and processes beyond criminal justice to many other spheres of life. One sphere is the school, and bullying in schools has been a target of organizations and practitioners interested in applying restorative justice to problems in school settings. This article does not deal with restorative justice directly, but it does highlight bullying and responses to bullying in another context. According to the Canada Safety Council, which cites a 1999 report by the International Labour Organization, bullying and violence are serious problems in the workplace. Hence, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are committed to prevention and reduction of workplace bullying. This article provides an overview of workplace bullying, its perpetrators and victims, the harmful effects of such interpersonal conflict, and measures to prevent and reduce this form of emotional and physical violence.